The use of portable computers, such as laptops or personal digital assistants (PDAs), has become very popular in recent years. Many people store personal information or documents, such as social security numbers, credit card information, and family photos, on their laptops. Also, the use of portable computers is quite common in the modern business environment. Corporate laptops and PDAs often contain confidential or sensitive business information, such as confidential documentation, e-mail addresses, bank accounts, and trade secrets.
It has been estimated that one laptop is stolen every 53 seconds. Theft of portable computers and intellectual property is an increasing concern. Unfortunately, only a very small percentage of stolen laptops are ever returned. Even if a stolen laptop is recovered, the confidential, sensitive, or personal data that was stored thereon may have been accessed by malicious parties, which is undesirable.